In a country where 97 percent of the education system relies on non-governmental Monthly Pay Order (MPO)-affiliated institutions, it is deeply troubling that the teachers sustaining this system remain among the most professionally neglected members of the public service landscape. Despite carrying the weight of Bangladesh's education sector, these educators have been systematically denied the very rights and recognition that define professional dignity and development.
For decades, MPO-affiliated teachers-many of whom hold M.Phil and PhD degrees-have remained trapped in a professional purgatory. The lack of promotion, fair evaluation, or financial incentives not only stifles their personal growth but also undermines the nation's broader goals of educational equity and quality.
At the heart of this injustice lies the archaic "ratio system", a promotion mechanism that restricts career advancement based not on merit or experience but on rigid numerical limits. This system, found nowhere else in Bangladesh's education framework or in comparable international models, has turned the hopes of thousands of teachers into years-if not decades-of stagnation.
Adding to this is the suspension of the once-progressive 10 percent direct quota system that allowed higher-degree holders from the private sector to enter government colleges. Introduced in 1973, this policy was a bridge between the public and private education sectors, a recognition of academic merit, and a rare moment of visionary planning. Its discontinuation-allegedly due to bureaucratic opposition-represents not just a policy failure, but a betrayal of academic commitment.
This article does not seek to pit public and private sector educators against each other. Rather, it urges a recalibration of priorities to reflect a simple truth: quality education cannot be achieved without dignified, well-supported educators, regardless of institutional label.
Consider the disparity. Government college teachers enjoy structured promotion paths, special increments for advanced degrees, medical and housing allowances, and participation in national academic tasks. Their MPO-affiliated counterparts-often equally or more qualified-are denied the same. They are excluded from policy-making, barred from administrative deputation, overlooked in academic evaluation roles, and, ultimately, forgotten in the national conversation on education reform.
The demands raised by MPO teachers are neither radical nor unreasonable. They include recognition of PhD titles, the abolition of the ratio system, creation of higher academic posts (Associate Professor, Professor) in MPO institutions, equality in allowances, preference in leadership appointments, and the reinstatement of the 10 percent direct quota with age limit flexibility due to its long suspension.
They also call for harmonization of conflicting policies across the National University, education boards, and technical boards, and for clear language in institutional regulations that ensures enforceable rights-not ambiguous privileges.
These proposals align with the National Education Policy and international norms set by bodies like UNESCO and the ILO. They reflect not entitlement, but entitlement earned-through years of service, academic achievement, and national contribution.
The neglect of MPO-affiliated teachers is no longer just an administrative oversight; it is a moral failing. A nation that speaks of "Smart Bangladesh" and "Vision 2041" must first ensure that the backbone of its education system-its teachers-are treated with fairness and foresight.
We call upon the Chief Advisor, Education Advisor, and policymakers in both the interim and permanent governments to take immediate and decisive action. Addressing the professional stagnation of MPO teachers is not merely an act of reform-it is an act of national responsibility.
The writer is a journalist, The Daily Observer
